All the Love in the world
by Enitsu Emria
Summary: Hermione thinks about her life, and wishes that she has someone to share it with like everybody else. Then she finds it in the most unlikely person, WHO? You decide. *Chapter three is here*
1. Meetings

All The Love In The World  
  
By: Maiden of Slytherin  
  
1  
  
2 Don't wanna wake up alone anymore  
  
2.1 Still believing you'll walk through my door  
  
All I need is to know it's for sure  
  
Then I'll give. All the love in the world  
  
  
  
Introduction:  
  
Today can't be any worse, I thought. Lord Voldemort was on the top of his power; he even dared to attack our own house. The house we've worked so hard to maintain. It was beautiful and now it's gone, just like the beautiful old house that Harry's parents had at Godrick's Hollow seventeen years ago.  
  
I'm truly thankful that Harry wasn't hurt that much. Though that Padamenta Curse was strong. Dumbledore told us that we shouldn't be worried because Harry's doing rather healthy now. We had to admit that Ron and I were extremely shocked when that green light shot out of nowhere and hit him while he was playing Quidditch with Fred and George.  
  
~~*  
  
I haven't gotten over the shock yet. When we were attacked I was panicked stricken. It was most unlikely for something to happen during my time of insecurity. Oh yes, I Hermione Granger, at the age of eighteen, a fresh graduate of Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, still have the nerve to feel insecure. Can you believe that? Well you can't blame me. Personally, My view of my teenage life is so. solitary.  
  
Believe me, I have never and I mean never had any one else to share my emotions with at that time. Sure there were Harry and Ron, Parvati and Lavander. But Harry had Cho, Ron had Parvati and Lavander had Seamus. Everybody had anybody for special company, even Ginny; she had Colin, see I meant everybody, but not me. I was always alone. It was surprising that my grades were that high.  
  
I'm not looking for someone to talk to  
  
I've got my friend; I'm more than O.K.  
  
I've got more than a girl could wish for  
  
I live my dreams but its not all they say  
  
My friends couldn't understand why I felt so. They thought I was acting like a child, they wondered why, they always seemed to bring up various things as: my wealth, my intelligence, my acquaintances, my career (I'm an auror, not that I chose to) and. my so-called beauty. I'm not sure if I was ready to believe them.  
  
I knew that I have fulfilled all the dreams that I have ever had since I had started the first year at Hogwarts. But on the day we graduated, I wished for something more- love.  
  
Not that I lacked the feeling, I just lack someone who would give it to me, someone who I could share it with.  
  
2.1.1  
  
2.1.2 Still I believe, I'm missing something real  
  
I need someone who really sees me  
  
~~*  
  
  
  
Chapter one  
  
  
  
"Harry! Thank goodness you're alright"  
  
"Oww Hermione you're hurting me"  
  
"I'm sorry, I just got excited."  
  
"We all were. I'm glad you're up now Harry, care for another game of Quidditch?"  
  
"NO! I don't think I will be playing Quidditch for a while Ron."  
  
We all laughed at that. Ron was being unreasonable again. I was glad that Harry was out of danger but I still wondered why Dumbledore wanted to talk to us after our visit.  
  
We entered Dumbledore's office shortly after bidding goodbye to Harry and I could tell that Ron was as anxious as I was to find out what this was all about.  
  
"Ah, Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley so glad that you could come. Have a seat" greeted Dumbledore.  
  
"Um, sir, what exactly did you want to talk to us about?" asked Ron.  
  
I prepared myself to listen as Dumbledore began to speak. I didn't want to miss a second of this because I was betting myself that anything he had to say was about Harry.  
  
"Its about Harry,"  
  
"What about Harry" asked Ron.  
  
"Apparently the green light that hit him was yet another form of the Avada Kedavra curse."  
  
I heard a slight gasp escape me as I placed my hands over my mouth. Ron glanced at me worriedly.  
  
"The Padamenta sir?" he said  
  
Dumbledore shook his head.  
  
"This form of the killing curse is the longest to take place, yet, if it has done that much damage," he trailed off "It might be as powerful as being hit by the original Avada Kedavra curse"  
  
I gasped once more.  
  
"B-but is there any way else to stop it?" I stammered.  
  
Ron looked up, uneasy, he anxiously waited for Dumbledore's answer.  
  
"Yes, there is" I breathed "There is a stone, that has a mineral in it, that when taken in by the victim will reverse the effects of the curse on the body."  
  
"What is this stone sir, and where can we get it?" I asked.  
  
" Its name was not identified, but, I am aware that it was in a jewel that was once the possession of Merlin" he stopped "Alas, since then, the stone has been passed down form generation to generation of dark families. It has even been in the possession of Salazar Slytherin and now, I am sure that it is in the possession of one of the families of deatheaters, or in the possession of Voldemort himself."  
  
I couldn't help it tears streamed down my face as Ron leaned over to comfort me.  
  
"But sir, Harry looks perfectly fine, how could that curse be acting on him now?" said Ron.  
  
"As I said Mr. Weasley, this form of the Avada Kedavra curse is the slowest to take effect, and if it is in early stages it is likely for Harry to seem healthy"  
  
"I see" recoiled Ron.  
  
"That is all that I meant to tell you for now. Until I find a way to take the stone from the deatheaters, you must wish Harry all the best."  
  
"Thank you sir," said Ron as we walked out the door.  
  
~~*  
  
"We can't tell Harry this," I sobbed as we reached one of the rooms of the castle.  
  
"I know. Lets just keep out hopes up Mione, and as Dumledore said, wish him all the best" whispered Ron. "Lets just hope that he gets the stone."  
  
I nodded. I couldn't help but sob some more, the thought of loosing a friend to death seemed so appalling, and I don't know how I could live with that.  
  
~~*  
  
I got up from the couch I was sitting on, in one of the rooms of Hogwarts where we stayed ever since Voldemort ruined our house. I heard Ron come in and I looked up at him.  
  
"Care to visit Harry?" he said with a smile  
  
I stood up and yanked Ron's hand motioning to head for Harry's room. We came in and were welcomed with a smiling Harry.  
  
"Hey guys" he said " what's up?"  
  
"Not much," said Ron as he looked down at the floor.  
  
"Why do you two look so sad?" asked Harry.  
  
I couldn't stand it anymore. At that point I lost control over myself. I lunged for Harry and started sobbing over him.  
  
"Hermione, I don't."  
  
"Harry, I can't stand this, I can't loose you. you're my friend and. I.I" I sobbed  
  
I didn't notice the door creek open, and an uninvited guest entered the room.  
  
"Oh, what a touching moment," he sneered "Did I come at a bad time?"  
  
"Sod off Malfoy!" barked Ron "What the hell are you doing here anyway!?"  
  
"Temper, temper Weasley, I merely came here to offer Potter a present" Malfoy tossed a small violet velvet box on top of the Harry's bed. "I do hope you will find it pleasing" and with that he left.  
  
"Careful Harry, It might be a trap" said Ron doubtfully.  
  
Harry picked up the box and opened it slowly. In it was a small ring with a blue stone in the middle of two small diamonds.  
  
"Don't worry Ron, Its just a ring" said Harry.  
  
"It might be hexed" said Ron as he snatched the box from Harry's hand and ran to Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Ron, I'm sure that there is hardly anything wrong about the. Oh what's the use he's gone, see you later Harry" I followed Ron to Dumbledore's office, leaving a very confused Harry behind.  
  
  
  
"Sir," panted Ron as we entered the headmaster's office.  
  
"Sir," I continued as Ron went to catch his breath "We have reason to believe that this jewel is hexed, could you clear that up for us"  
  
Dumbledore turned around to face us. He was holding a long sheet of parchment which he had obviously been reading when we came in.  
  
"Certainly," he said as Ron handed it to him. Dumbledore looked at the ring in different angles as he observed it. And when he was contented, he tried it on his finger.  
  
"This ring is perfectly hex-free. I assure you that" said Dubledore.  
  
He handed me the ring and I placed it in my pocket.  
  
"Thank you sir." I said as I dragged a struggling Ron out of the office.  
  
"But. but,"  
  
  
  
As we were leaving the circular room, Dumbledore suddenly called our attention.  
  
"Hermione my dear, could I please see that ring again?" he said.  
  
"Surely, sir" I said as I let go of Ron and deposited the ring in the headmaster's hands.  
  
Dumbledore observed the ring once again and seemed to be comparing it to the scroll of parchment that he was reading earlier.  
  
"Excellent!" he finally said  
  
"What is it sir?" asked Ron  
  
"Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger take a look" he said as he laid the scroll on his desk beside the ring.  
  
We approached the table and saw what the scroll contained. It enclosed the descriptions and details of the magical stone that could save Harry's life. Together with that was an illustration of it. We were shocked. But it wasn't that why we were shocked, the ring, the ring that Malfoy had given, the ring fitted the magical stone's description entirely. And it looked exactly like the illustration. I looked up at Dumbledore.  
  
"This stone you have here is the magical stone that we need to reverse the curse placed on Harry. All we need now are some ingredients that I'm sure will be very easy to find and we can conjure the potion for Harry. Mr. Weasley, would you mind informing Professor Snape of this?" said Dumbledore  
  
"Yes sir," said Ron as he left the room with a slight disgruntled look on his face.  
  
  
  
"Ms. Granger" said Dumbledore as he turned to me. "May I ask where you came across this ring?"  
  
"Yes sir, in fact, it was given to Harry as a gift by," I flinched slightly at the name "Draco Malfoy, and Ron was suspicious as to Harry and Malfoy are not quite good um. acquaintances-"  
  
"I see, bearing in mind that Mr. Malfoy has been known to well, have deatheater associates I believe that understandable. Well Ms. Granger, it might be advisable for you to thank Mr. Malfoy formally and, I'm sure that he would appreciate it,"  
  
"Yes sir" I said uncertainly.  
  
"Excellent Ms. Granger now, now you must excuse me I must get down to business"  
  
"Of course sir." I said as I started out of the room. I passed Professor Snape on the way out and greeted him a good morning. He looked rather peeved today, but no matter, this was a beautiful day, we found the stone and Harry was going to be alright.  
  
~~*  
  
I stepped out on to the grounds of Hogwarts. I planned to go to Hogsmaede today, to get Harry and the others some things, maybe candy at Honeydukes or some stuff at Zonko's joke shop.  
  
I decided to go to The Three Broomsticks first, to get a drink to calm my excitement. I ordered a butter beer.  
  
I slowly sipped out of my drink as I looked out the window of the shop. I was thinking about the things that happened today, about the ring, about how Harry will be well again, and about why Draco Malfoy would ever give us the magical stone when he was supposed to be happy that Harry was supposed to die and when he was supposed to be siding with the deatheaters and Voldemort. Many questions clouded my mind as I was sitting there thinking until they were all interrupted.  
  
Someone was patting my shoulder. I turned around quickly and looked in shock at that person.  
  
"Granger, you must see yourself, it looks like you have seen a ghost," he said teasingly  
  
"Malfoy, what are you doing here?" I asked as I still had that horrid expression on my face.  
  
"We were just in town and I thought I should have a little fresh air," he said as he sat down in front of me.  
  
"Well how about you Granger?"  
  
"I.I just came to have a drink and."  
  
"You were thinking."  
  
"Yes" I said as I looked up at him. "I was thinking about you, I was thinking about how you could have brought yourself to give the stone to us and how-"  
  
He cut me off as he placed a long graceful finger on my lips. I shivered at his touch. I didn't know why. He withdrew his hand and looked out the window.  
  
"How Granger, I don't know, I guess I just didn't want to lose one of my archenemies that fast, and to something that I could have well, handled myself"  
  
"That's not the reason Malfoy, and you know it!" I stammered.  
  
He looked at me with his silver eyes that seemed to see through my soul "And what is Granger? Do you know?"  
  
I looked away. I felt blood rushing up to my cheeks and I knew by now that I was blushing.  
  
"No Malfoy, no"  
  
"I didn't think so," he said as he stood up and left.  
  
Don't wanna wake up alone anymore  
  
Still believing you'll walk through my door  
  
All I need is to know it's for sure  
  
Then I'll give... all the love in the world  
  
~~* 


	2. At Florish and Blotts

All the love in the world  
  
Chapter two  
  
I could never forget that day up at The Three Broomsticks. I couldn't forget how Malfoy was at that time. How he brought back that feeling I once had, how he brought back my insecurity.  
  
We finally conjured the potion today and Harry was finally out of that bed which he was perceptibly getting sick of even after he found out of his true condition. With the expert help of Professor Snape, we were able to extract the mineral from the stone that was on the ring. To do that of course, we had to remove the stone from the ring, meaning destroying its beauty. But we obviously had to, for Harry's sake. I kept the ring even if it was no longer in it's full beauty.  
  
~~*  
  
"I'm so glad you're alright," I said as I hugged him  
  
"Hermione, can't. breathe"  
  
"Sorry, got carried away"  
  
"Hey, Mione, Harry and I are going over to The Three Broomsticks, care to join us?" said Ron  
  
"I'm sorry, I really need to go to London. I'm visiting my parents and I'll be at Gringotts to change some galleons for muggle money this afternoon. Just go on without me and have a great time." I said as we stood in front of Hogwarts.  
  
"O.K. Take care Hermione bye" said Harry.  
  
~~*  
  
I went inside gathered some of my clothes and some money. I stood in front of the fire and walked in to it with my bags.  
  
"Diagon Alley!"  
  
Within a second I felt myself fall on the hard ground, thankful that my bags had caught me. Now I was grateful that I had decided to take them instead of that bulky hard trunk.  
  
I headed towards Gringotts and walked towards the wizard bank. After getting my money changed, I went to Flourish and Blotts to see if there were any good books to read. I turned towards the door when SMACK! I bumped in to a solid figure, which I could not quite recognize.  
  
"Granger" said a voice. A voice that I easily recognized as-  
  
"Malfoy?" I rubbed my eyes as I cleared my vision " I'm sorry,"  
  
"Let me help you there Granger" and he leaned down to straighten me up. He picked up my bags and handed them to me.  
  
"Um. Thanks," I said as I stared at him again.  
  
I've often wondered if love's an illusion  
  
Just to get you through the loneliest days  
  
I can't criticize it  
  
I have no hestitaion  
  
My imagination just stole me away  
  
~~*  
  
As I talked to him, I seemed to loose the interest to enter Flourish and Blotts, and of all the things I could do, I invited him to have tea over at the Leaky Cauldron. When we entered the pub people started to stare at us with questioning looks on their faces.  
  
"Ms. Granger the auror?"  
  
"Yes, she's over there with the Malfoy child"  
  
"Malfoy? Couldn't be, the Malfoy family has been rumored of being deatheaters"  
  
"It is, see? The silver hair, no one could have that but a Malfoy"  
  
The whispers around us grew louder and louder as we walked through the room and settled on a table. We ordered drinks and sat down in to conversation.  
  
"I'm sorry," I started "for bumping in to you at the bookstore"  
  
"Its fine, I know you'd always be the clumsy mudblood you are"  
  
I flushed with anger but to his relief I chose to control it.  
  
"And you'd become the deatheater I always knew you'd be"  
  
"I'm not a deatheater, well at least not yet."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.  
  
"It's only six days" he stopped. I looked at him "until I am to pledge allegiance to Voldemort, at the manor"  
  
I didn't know what to say. I looked deeply in to his eyes, searching for an emotion. There was one of course except I couldn't much figure out what it was. Either pain, anger, fear?  
  
Without thinking, I placed my hand over his. He looked at me.  
  
"Do you want to?" I asked curiously as I looked in to his eyes.  
  
Now I could see it. I finally found it, an emotion, I have found an emotion in the eyes of Draco Malfoy. Though it was not that contenting, it was. misery.  
  
"No" he answered.  
  
"You don't have to, if you don't want to"  
  
"Hermione, you of all people should understand" he said "you should know as an auror that no one can escape Voldemort"  
  
"How about Harry?" I said "he's escaped Voldemort's wrath eight times now and the last one's thanks to you, so, how can you say that now Draco?"  
  
Malfoy looked up in surprise at me.  
  
"You said my name," he said  
  
"Why does it make any difference?" I asked  
  
"You haven't," he said as he looked away " you haven't in eight years and you just intend to start now? That's really surprising Granger, and you ask me what's the difference"  
  
I laughed, and so did he. For the first time I was actually getting along with the person I have hated most besides Voldemort. I didn't understand it; I also didn't understand why I felt so safe with him.  
  
His features suddenly went back to its usual coldness, which I found rather handsome. I looked at him nervously started to blush.  
  
"Its getting late" I said as I stood up to leave.  
  
"Yeah" he said as he stood up with me. We started out the door. I was in a hurry, remembering the things that I desperately needed to do. Malfoy was trailing behind me and as I turned to bid him goodbye, I was shocked at what met my way.  
  
A kiss. Yes, a kiss. As I turned around to face him his lips met mine and he pulled me in to a very passionate kiss. I felt so weak; my knees were ready to collapse. I was going to fall for sure, if only his arms weren't around me. After a moment I found myself kissing him back, my arms around his neck, my fingers entangled in his silvery blonde locks and my lips freezing in his.  
  
Still I believe  
  
I'm missing something real  
  
I need someone who really sees me...  
  
(Don't wanna wake...) Don't wanna wake up alone anymore  
  
Still believing you'll walk through my door  
  
All I need is to know it's for sure  
  
Then I'll give... all the love in the world  
  
We broke off the kiss, but he didn't let me go. He held me far enough just to look in to my eyes. We held each other in silence, in sweet silence.  
  
Love's for a lifetime not for a moment  
  
So how could I throw it away  
  
Yeah I'm only human  
  
And nights grow colder  
  
With no-one to love me that way  
  
Yeah I need someone who really sees me...  
  
And I won't wake up alone anymore  
  
Still believing you'll walk through my door  
  
You'll reach for me and I'll know it's for sure  
  
Then I'll give all the love in the world  
  
I was no longer confused, the love that I have been looking for all these years, was just in front of me, and though I could see it, I never recognized it as love. I couldn't' see it then, so I couldn't have found it, but now that I have I'm never letting it go, even if I have to give up, all the love in the world.  
  
~~*  
  
The End. 


	3. The Day of Doom

1 All the Love in the World 2  
  
1.1 A/n: As all of you have so desperately wanted, here's the second part of this fic, Unlike the last part, this is told from the authors point of view. *Thanks for all those reviews*  
  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The wind blew strappingly by Hermione that day. It was freezing cold and she pulled her cloak tighter on her body.  
  
"Herm, its cold and its getting dark out here, you better get in." said a voice behind the coldness.  
  
Hermione turned around to find Ron approaching, with a worried look on his face.  
  
"What are you doing in this cold?" He asked as he pulled a furry cloak over her back and held her in his embrace to keep her warm.  
  
"Nothing,"  
  
"We better get in Hermione, this blizzard's getting stronger by the second.  
  
Hermione nodded, and together they walked towards the Hogwarts castle.  
  
~~*  
  
Crash! Went the door, as it slammed open when Ron and Hermione entered the empty Great Hall. Ron rushed behind the door and struggled to close it.  
  
"Ah," he breathed when he finally managed to lock it. "That was some blizzard,"  
  
"Yeah," sighed Hermione. She walked over to the fireplace and pointed her wand at the ashes.  
  
"Lacardum Inflamore," she whispered. Sure enough there, was the roaring warm flame burning before her. She stood up, walked to a relaxing red chair, and stood before the fire. 'Draco could always make blazes in to dancing multihued flames, yes beautiful ones, hypnotizing and inviting streaks of light dancing in the fireplace.' she thought. 'Why am I thinking about him anyway, yes, I know he loves me, and I him. Yet, I know that I will loose him eventually, tomorrow exactly; tomorrow is the ceremony. That blasted Voldemort. Why does he have to come between Draco and me? Typical, the bastard doesn't know how to love, how could he understa-'  
  
"Hermione? Hello," her thoughts were cut of by Ron, he was waving his hand in front of her face when she was apparently staring in to space.  
  
"Uh, Huh?"  
  
"Hermione, I was talking to you, weren't you listening?"  
  
"Uhm, Yes? What were you talking about again?"  
  
"Hermione, your not yourself today, what's going on?"  
  
"I. I was just thinking, I'm sorry Ron, I'm just tired, I better get on to bed," with that, she left the hall leaving a slightly shocked Ron gaping after her.  
  
"Ah," he sighed and looked down on the carpet. He sauntered over to the chair and crashed down on to it.  
  
"Did you do it?" said a voice from behind him.  
  
"I tried to, but she just didn't listen. What am I supposed to do Harry?"  
  
"How hard could it be to ask Hermione to marry you? I mean, you've been friends for a long time and until now, were practically nineteen and your ready to marry, your ready to marry Hermione," Harry said.  
  
"Yeah, but what if she doesn't love me?"  
  
"Doesn't love you?" Harry said in disbelief. "How could you say that? Its obvious that she does Ron, she gets jealous over every girl you get involved with and badmouths all of them in fact, remember Fleur in the fourth year, Lavander in the fifth year, Parvati in the sixth, and uhm. that rumor over at the Slytherin house about Pansy?"  
  
Ron looked at Harry and in a split second; they burst in to fits of silly giggles.  
  
"How could ANYONE forget that? Hermione had Pansy's cheeks swollen for a week and served detention for hurting a Slytherin,"  
  
"You see?"  
  
"Yeah, Yeah Harry don't worry I'll try again.tomorrow."  
  
~~*  
  
Hermione got up to one of the many rooms of Hogwarts, the one where she stayed. She wasn't really tired, that was just an excuse; an excuse for her to get out of their conversation (Whatever they were talking about). Hermione just wanted to think.  
  
Tomorrow was the day Draco would swear to Voldemort; that he would uphold evil and commit to the Dark Side as long as he lived. Hermione knew that he never wanted to. She knew perfectly well that he was at the status of the dark side, and his family was a loyal follower of Voldemort, and who knows he might be the soon to be heir of all that vile, despicable, repugnant, empire of evil of his.  
  
Hermione knew that she had found the love she most wanted, and she was not about to let something so perfect and beautiful slip away because of anything. She knew that she had to do something if she wanted to keep it. She already promised to herself that she would never let go and so she would not.  
  
~~*  
  
  
  
Draco Malfoy, the most successful deatheater wouldn't you think? NOT. If evil were an element he would meet Draco with a destruction he thought never imaginable.  
  
He was so pitiable, sitting there in his study at the Malfoy Manor, defeated. And yet, he could not do anything, but to meet the fate that was built around him even before he was born. The day was ending quickly and with that the next day would meet him. Doomsday. Draco found this rather awkward. What an extremely inappropriate time for love to come, at the time he would never have the chance to protect and allow it to flourish when all round him detests the very idea.  
  
Tomorrow he would come to meet the Dark Lord, and swear all he is worth to him. To him he would rather die than to let him carve that accursed mark on to his arm, but there was too much; too much to loose. Her.  
  
Hermione, yes, to him she was the only reason he was still living right now. From the start, a perfect little needle pierced deeply in to his skin, offering pain; yes pain, he was so jealous of her perfection, oh how she was perfect at everything, everything even in her family- something he would never have. But in the end, she seemed the only one who was to remove all the pain from his life, if only blood hadn't been thicker than water.  
  
~~*  
  
It was about dawn, snow was falling intensely over the roofs of the Hogwarts castle. At the seventh floor of a timid guestroom a bear candle was lit.  
  
'It's today,' thought Hermione as she got up suddenly from bed about three o' clock in the morning. Yes, today would be the day that she would loose Draco forever. 'Call it destiny,' Destiny, destiny for him that was built as his world even before he was brought in to this world. Destiny, he wished so much to get rid of. Hermione knew that Draco would do anything to be in someone else's shoes right about now, but she felt more pity for herself, than for him, because she couldn't do anything. As her mother said, 'It's not what you can't do, It's what you can do' Hermione was about to believe that, if only she knew what she could do.  
  
"Hermione, you awake" came Ron's voice through her door.  
  
"Ron? It's three in the morning, honestly what are you doing here?" Hermione whispered through the coldness, she was holding back heavy tears that were starting to roll down her face, struggling to keep a firm tone in her voice.  
  
"Its good you're awake," said Ron in a hoarse voice as Hermione heard the door creak open wider and felt Ron enter the room. "Hermione, we need to talk."  
  
Hermione looked up from her bed and turned her back to him; making sure that he would not see her tears.  
  
"I'm sorry Ron but this is really not the time-" before she knew what was happening, she was pinned down on to her bed by Ron who was holding her arms over her head.  
  
"Ron," Hermione began as she looked away from his obviously shocked face.  
  
"What happened Hermione? Have you been crying?"  
  
"No, it's nothing,"  
  
"Hermione, I care about you so much. You're not about to hide something from me," he said finally letting her sit up on the bed; letting his grip loosen.  
  
"You, don't understand-" Hermione was cut off once again when Ron placed his lips over hers and sealed her words in a passionate kiss. Hermione didn't pull away, she was just consumed in the kiss, that seemed to cross the threshold on all her problems.  
  
"The only thing I don't understand Hermione," began Ron as he broke the kiss. "is why you can't tell me what is perturbing you. For goodness sakes Hermione, I'm your friend and. and. I l-love you."  
  
Hermione was shocked. She couldn't be more shocked of her friend's feelings for her.  
  
"I-I'm sorry Ron, b-but, I," her voice was trembling, she was still trying to get over the shock.  
  
"Why Hermione," he said in a soft tone "Why can't you love me?"  
  
"I-I can't love you, I'm sorry"  
  
Without a word, Ron stood up from his knees and walked out of Hermione's bedroom door. Hermione crashed down on her bed, sobbing all she was worth.  
  
~~*  
  
Draco took the quill, and started scribbling a note.a last note.  
  
Hermione,  
  
Today is the day, the day I say goodbye. I'm sorry Hermione, I'm sorry if I made you cry. I'm sorry for all the things that we could have had.together. I'm sorry for all the perfection this love could have brought us.  
  
I'm letting you go Hermione, I'm letting you go. for now. I love you, I will always. forever.  
  
~Draco  
  
With that, he folded the note and tied it miserably on his eagle owls leg. 'Send it, with love' he whispered.  
  
~~*  
  
"Hermione, you have to get up,"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The ministry, requests our presence, we're going to defeat Voldemort, at last.  
  
"What are you talking about Harry?" Hermione said from under her covers  
  
" Tonight, will be the swearing of the new deatheaters to him, and we're going to be there."  
  
"WHAT?" Hermione sat up suddenly from her bed.  
  
"We're going to raid them out and we will finally capture the whole lot. Ha, ha" Hermione knw that this might have been great news for Harry, but she was sure that this would be the same ceremony that Draco would be in, and it they kill him.  
  
"What are you laughing at?" she asked ignorantly, suddenly recognizing that fact that she still had to answer him.  
  
"You, you look like you came out of new years eve, look at your hair"  
  
"Oh, Harry, when will you learn to shut up?"  
  
"So Hermione,"  
  
"So what? Harry"  
  
"I heard Ron and you had a little chat last night"  
  
"That, apparently, was NOT a chat," she muttered.  
  
"So did he ask you?"  
  
"Ask me what?"  
  
"To marry him of course,"  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Obviously, not"  
  
"No, seriously Harry, he was really going to ask me that?"  
  
"He was about to as it seems,"  
  
"I-I'm-"  
  
Hermione heard a tapping coming from the outside. It was an owl.  
  
"Isn't that Malfoy's owl?" said Harry  
  
It *was* Malfoy's owl. Hermione rushed over to the window and let the owl pass through, she saw a letter, strapped to his leg. She stripped it off quickly as to make sure Harry would not see it and then sent the owl off.  
  
"What does he want?"  
  
"Nothing, just wanted to find out if that stone he gave us worked."  
  
"Oh, then ask him why the hell he would give it to us"  
  
"He already did you a favor by the fact that he saved your life and besides Harry, maybe he can't say" said Hermione as she gazed out the window after the owl.  
  
~~*  
  
That afternoon, Hermione walked in to the Great Hall and looked over the sight. Some students were sitting on their tables and p  
  
  
  
et the fate that was built around him even before he was born. The day was ending quickly and with that the next day would meet him. Doomsday. Draco foundaying games. Some Gryffindor third years were there playing exploding snap, also, some Ravenclaws were playing wizards chess. It was not that which Hermione noticed. It was Ron, he was sitting on that same red chair that she had been on that night they were in the Great hall, watching the flames dancing in the fireplace. Even though his back was turned to her, she knew it was he. Hermione approached him quietly.  
  
"Flames, so powerful as it seems; and yet a little stream of water can kill its power in a moment." Hermione stated as she stood beside Ron's chair; only focusing on the hypnotizing blazes by the hearth.  
  
"What do you want?" snapped Ron in an obviously irritated voice. He din't even bother to look at her; Hermione however noticed the flames reflections in his eyes was auspiciously matching his mood.  
  
"You know what I'm doing here Ron," she stated firmly supremacy in her voice; finally focusing on Ron.  
  
"Let me guess, you want to.apologize maybe? Or plead?"  
  
"I'm not that fraught," Hermione said before she took a deep breath and continued, "What I said to you, is not entirely truthful."  
  
"What?" he said in shock 'How could she be so right to the point?' he thought.  
  
"I love you Ron, but not as much as you want me to."  
  
"Is there someone else?" He said as he turned to Hermione, the fire in his eyes gone.  
  
Hermione took a deep breath, "I don't know Ron, I just don't. I can't say there is; nor can I say that there isn't. I just can't answer you at this time."  
  
Hermione turned to the flames in the hearth. As Ron looked at her with questioning a gaze.  
  
"Perhaps. When the time is right"  
  
~~* 


End file.
